Salem Health and Wellness Foundation announces grants for Breakfast After the Bell programs

SALEM — The Salem Health and Wellness Foundation has announced a grant opportunity for schools who would like to implement a pilot program, Breakfast After the Bell.

Children who fuel up in the morning with a nutritious breakfast gain many benefits, both mental and physical.

Concentration is higher, participation in class increases, and students are better able to handle complex problems and get better grades, according to pediatrician Dr. William Sears.

In addition, hungry children are often cranky and more likely to misbehave. Evidence shows that students who participate in school breakfast exhibit decreased behavioral problems and have lower rates of absenteeism and tardiness, according to evaluation reports from Boston’s Universal Breakfast Program and Maryland’s Meals for Achievement.

The Salem Health and Wellness Foundation believes that school breakfasts are vitally important to students. Through an initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity, the foundation is seeking partnerships with local school districts to increase breakfast participation through this program.